The ruling Awami League has rejected the Jatiya Oikya Front’s demand to push back the date for announcing the schedule of the 11th general election.
“We have accepted some of their demands, but a few others appeared to be an excuse for postponing the election. If we postpone the polls, we fear an unelected force may occupy state power like it happened in 2007-08,” Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said on Wednesday.
Quader was briefing the media after the second round of dialogue with the newly formed political alliance led by eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain at Ganabhaban in Dhaka.
He said that Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had assured the Oikya Front of creating the proper environment for a free and fair election.
But the ruling party has turned down a proposal to form a 10-member polls-time government, saying it will be a violation of the constitution.
Quader said the members of parliament and ministers would not receive any government facilities after the announcement of the polls schedule.
The Oikya Front leaders, who were led by Dr Kamal, did not talk to reporters after Wednesday’s talks.
The first dialogue between the coalition and the Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance was held at Ganabhaban on November 1.
Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister,also said that during Wednesday’s talks the prime minister told Oikya Front leaders that the ruling party would return to power if the people vote for it.
“You [Oikya Front] will win too if people support you. So there will be no form of fraud and vote rigging during the election. It will be a free, fair and credible election.
“If the Election Commission approves, we will not have any objection to allow foreign election observers full access to every polling station and voting booths,” the senior Awami League leader quoted Hasina as saying.
He added: “Even though there are no more chances to hold formal dialogues, discussions [between the parties] will continue informally.”
Demands and answers
About the issues discussed in the meeting, Quader said: "The Oikya Front leaders have reiterated their key demand – dissolution of parliament and election within the next 90 days. Apart from this, they wanta level playing field ensured and foreign observers.
“Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that we have no problem in accepting these demands. But the Election Commission will address these after the declaring the polls schedule.”
He said that Oikya Front’s demand that the army be deployed during the polls with magisterial power was not appropriatefor Bangladesh. “There is no such rule in any other democratic country in the world.
“But the army will be a part of the taskforceto be assigned to maintain law and order. If necessary, army will engage as a striking force, in coordination with the local administration,wherever and whenever they are needed.”
Regarding the Oikya Front’s demand that all political prisoners, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, must be released, Quader said: "Oikya Front leaders wanted Khaleda Zia’s release throughbail, not special release. They did not eventalk about her release on parole.You [journalists]did.”
He reminded that the government did not file the case of Khaleda, who is currently incarcerated in two corruption cases. “The cases were filed by then caretaker government in 2007. Khaleda Zia’s bail or release is now a matter of court.”
Oikya Front: Formation, demands, goals
On October 13, Dr Kamal Hossain-led Gono Forum had joined hands with BNP and three other political parties and formally launched Jatiya Oikya Front.
The other partners in the alliance are ASM Abdur Rab-led Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab), Mahmudur Rahman Manna-led Nagorik Oikya and a faction of Jatiya Oikya Prokriya.
Abdul Kader Siddique-led Krishak Sramik Janata League also joined the alliance on Monday.
Since its formation, the Oikya Front has been campaigning to press home its seven-point charter of demands, which includes release of Khaleda and all political prisoners from jail, election under an impartial polls-time government, dissolution of parliament before the polls, and reformation of the Election Commission.
The alliance is also pursuing 11 goals to fulfil if they win the polls and form the government.
They include ensuring checks and balances in the state power, the decentralization of administration, and freeing MPs from the stringent restrictions imposed on them under Article 70 of the constitution.
In addition, the Oikya Front wants to see the formation of a constitutional commission to make appointments to all constitutional and other important posts, and the full independence of the judiciary.